Unfortunately, there are a lot of unique challenges fleet management face that prevent businesses from being as efficient and productive as possible. Here are seven critical challenges facing fleet management in Canada and how they can overcome them.
Rising Fuel Prices
One of the biggest challenges facing fleet management is volatile fuel prices. It can be extremely difficult to plan, budget, monitor, and mitigate the variable cost of fuel. Using a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software can analyze driver behavior (speed, idling, accelerating, etc.), monitor fuel usage, set preventative maintenance schedules, and even create efficient routes.
Driver Shortages
It doesn’t matter if the economy is hot, cool, or we’re in the midst of a pandemic, businesses that use field service technicians, including electricians, plumbers, glass installers, and HVAC, are always in demand because they provide an essential service.
This can be an economic boon for small businesses, but it can also add extra strain of finding skilled workers which leads to driver shortages. Keeping your field services fleet running as efficiently as possible is key to meeting this increased demand.
Integrating Fleet Data Systems into Existing Software
Businesses are always looking for ways to improve their existing business processes. But they also want to make sure that integrating a new solution is seamless. Any disruption with integrating fleet data systems into existing software could result in costly downtime.
A new ERP solution also needs to be easy to use. It doesn’t matter how sophisticated an ERP system is, if it isn’t straightforward, users are just going to get frustrated, which defeats the purpose.
Rising Fleet Vehicle Maintenance Costs
There are a number of costs associated with fleet maintenance. First, maintenance costs are steadily rising because of advanced vehicle technology, skilled labour shortages, an increase in tire prices, and the use of high capacity and synthetic oils. Then there are downtime costs.
The right ERP solution will give you a comprehensive view of your fleet’s operational costs and help you do more with less.
Shifting Demand from Customers
No two days are alike, and a small business ERP solution can show you where you should put your energies. Case in point, the coronavirus pandemic changed how people live. In the early days, there was a huge rush on toilet paper. Then there was unprecedented demand for cleaning products.
Businesses need to be nimble enough to react to their customers needs. If there’s an increase in demand in one area, you’ll need to redirect field service technicians to that area. If there’s a downturn in another area, you’ll need to deploy your remote workers elsewhere.
ERP can help find a solution that works it all out.
Tracking and Diagnostic
Because field service technicians can be spread across a large geographic area, it can be difficult to keep track of all your vehicles and even communicate with them remotely. Using the GPS on your smartphone to track your workforce won’t do. Smartphones don’t provide the kind of useful information you need, and they can be turned off, left at home, lost, damaged, or stolen. And more often than not, your employee will keep their smartphone on them, which tracks your employee not your vehicle.
Only a cloud-based ERP solution can provide the kind of actionable information fleet managers need, including real-time vehicle location, mileage, fuel consumption, engine status, speed patterns, and history of stops and start times.
Data Management and KPI
The vehicles used by your field service technicians all contain onboard computers that collect vast amounts of data. Tracking and managing fleet management key performance indicators (KPI) helps businesses measure efficiency across their entire fleet.
But with the huge amounts of data collected, it’s virtually impossible for any one person to crunch and analyze that data. That’s where a cloud-based business management software comes in. Fleet management KPIs measure the effectiveness of your fleet management and can show you how to boost efficiency, enhance productivity, and control costs.
FSM, America’s Ultimate Field Service Provider
One of the best ways that small businesses can combat fleet management challenges in Canada is with a comprehensive, effective business management solution. FSM is America’s ultimate field service provider.
Our software is an all-in-one field service ERP solution that ensures your fleet and overall business runs as efficiently and effectively as possible. Using the best technologies for web and mobile, we can help businesses automate and streamline their complex business operations. Developed specifically with small- and medium sized businesses in mind, our software is easy to install, customizable, and use.
At FSM, we offer a complete office management system that lets you put your business on autopilot, anywhere, and everywhere, which allows you to do what you do best—that’s grow your business.
To learn more about FSM and how our cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software can help automate your business, improve fleet management, and reduce costs, contact us at 716-445-0790 or by email at [email protected].
By Steve Facey
Steven Facey is collaborative leader with over 20 years of experience in retail, sales, marketing, operations, and technology. He believes in recognizing strengths and coaching to higher levels of performance, so that the right people are aligned to “WIN”.